Ridgewood NJ, according to the CDC measles could become endemic (constant presence of a disease in an area) in the United States again, especially if vaccine coverage levels drop. This can happen when people

forget to get vaccinated on time,

don’t know that they need a vaccine dose (this is most common among adults), or

refuse vaccines for religious, philosophical or personal reasons.

Research shows that people who refuse vaccines tend to group together in communities. When measles gets into communities with pockets of unvaccinated people, outbreaks are more likely to occur. These communities make it difficult to control the spread of the disease. And these communities make us vulnerable to having the virus re-establish itself in our country.

High sustained measles vaccine coverage and rapid public health response are critical for preventing and controlling measles cases and outbreaks.

Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Health Department and the New Jersey Department of Health remind you that your need for immunization doesn’t end when you become an adult. Get vaccinated to protect yourself and your loved ones from serious diseases.

August represents New Jersey’s Adult Vaccine Preventable Disease Awareness and Improvement Month, which coincides with the National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), a national annual observance to raise awareness about the important role vaccines play in preventing serious, sometimes deadly, diseases. Continue reading Vaccines are not just for kids